Oil and Gas companies operating in Colorado could soon face stricter reporting requirements when it comes spills. A bill lowering the reporting threshold passed its first committee yesterday. Bente [BEN tuh] Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

The Bureau of Land Management suspended more than two-dozen energy leases in the Thompson Divide yesterday. Most of the leases were set to expire at the end of May. Aspen Public Radio’s Marci Krivonen reports.

Democrats at the statehouse are working on a slate of bills aimed at revamping the oil and gas industry as the legislature moves into its final few weeks. A bill that would change the mission of the state’s Oil and Gas Commission cleared the full house today, despite strong Republican opposition. Bente Birkeland has […]

A bill to allow civil unions in Colorado could be headed to the Governor’s desk by the end of the week…Colorado Springs police and firefighters would get a raise, but the whole workforce would have to shoulder more healthcare costs. Those are among the proposals Mayor Steve Bach’s administration presented to City Council…The nearly 500-mile Colorado Trail is adding a new section expected to be ready for hiking this summer.

Colorado Springs police and firefighters would get a raise, but the whole workforce would have to shoulder more healthcare costs. Those are among the proposals Mayor Steve Bach’s administration presented today to City Council. KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports.

Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas is laying off workers at its Windsor and Brighton blade factories, the company announced today. The reduction affects 10% of Vestas’ statewide workforce of 1100 employees, and comes after Congress renewed a Wind Energy Tax Credit at the end of last year.

Vestas wind energy company plans to hire more than 100 workers at its Pueblo plant…Pueblo County emergency officials are running a biennial survey in a continuous effort to improve the readiness of people who live there…The Colorado legislature prints millions of pieces of paper each year, costing the state a hefty sum. But that could soon be a thing of the past. This year in an effort to cut down on costs, each of the 100 lawmakers received new iPads.

The number of tech companies in Colorado Springs has grown by one. As KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports, software maker Xledger announced this week that it has moved its North American headquarters here from Silicon Valley.

Members of the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission wrap up a three day hearing in Denver today. At stake are new rules to oversee a new boom in oil and gas drilling, and at the heart of those rules, changing how far a drill rig can be from homes and schools. Bente Birkeland has […]

Flanked by Democratic leaders at the statehouse, Governor John Hickenlooper outlined his top job creation priorities for the upcoming legislative session and previewed the first house bill that will be introduced on Wednesday. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

The vast Niobrara shale formation, which covers much of northeastern Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska, is now estimated to be a third bigger than first thought. Two of the largest companies drilling the field, Noble Energy and Anadarko, say the area may be capable of producing as much as 3.6 billion barrels of oil over […]

Vestas Wind Systems has announced it is closing its research and development office in Louisville. As KUNC’s Nathan Heffel reports, this comes after announcing the closure of two other such Vestas offices in Texas and Massachusetts.

Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has announced a second round of layoffs this week at a Colorado plant, this time at its blade factory in Windsor. Earlier this week, the company let go of 75 workers at its Brighton plant. According to a press release from the Danish company, about 18% of Vestas’ Colorado workforce […]

Two of the four candidates in the race for the 3rd congressional seat will take part in a debate tomorrow night in Pueblo…Pueblo City Council plans a public hearing tonight on benefits for domestic partners, and is expected to vote on the measure…and, Vestas Wind Systems lays off additional workers in Colorado.

This election, Colorado voters will decide on three statewide ballot questions. In addition to a measure to legalize marijuana recreationally, there’s an initiative to update state workforce rules, and a mostly symbolic campaign finance question. Bente Birkeland has more on Amendment 65 and Amendment S.

Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach and his staff addressed city layoffs and community development today at his monthly media conference…Federal officials say a 22-acre marijuana farm was discovered by firefighters battling the Waldo Canyon blaze…More Colorado layoffs have been announced by wind turbine maker Vestas…Stage Two of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge Race started in Montrose this morning.

Senator Mark Udall calls this year’s fire season a wake-up call for policymakers and the public…Officials have made the largest marijuana bust in Pueblo County history, according to the Chieftain…Authorities say one person is dead and three others have minor injuries after a rupture at a natural gas well north of Fort Lupton.

Wind power giant Vestas has announced it’s laying off workers at its Pueblo facility…Trinidad Mayor John Rino has resigned effective immediately…Officials say State Highway 67 near Cripple Creek remains closed after a sinkhole opened over a mineshaft under the roadway.

Wind power giant Vestas has announced it’s laying off workers at its Pueblo facility. Vestas would not provide an exact number, but did say that the job reduction represents about three percent of its total US and Canadian workforce. The plant had employed some 400 people making towers for wind turbines. In total, about 1700 […]

Today is the last day to register for unemployment assistance for residents affected by the Waldo Canyon fire…The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved low-interest disaster loan assistance for farmers, ranchers, businesses, homeowners and nonprofit organizations affected by wildfires, flooding and mudslides…Crews with Colorado Springs Utilities continue to assess damages to the Northfield Water System after flash flooding last week caused significant erosion and debris flow…State budgets across the country are starting to show signs of stability according to a new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Colorado oil and gas regulators are considering whether to increase the buffering distance between drilling rigs and schools or homes. A loose group of stakeholders has been meeting to hammer out the issue for several months. A recommendation is scheduled for this fall. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

Colorado’s unemployment rate edged up slightly to 8.2 percent in June…Several Colorado moviegoers who watched a masked gunman shoot 71 people at a screening of the Dark Knight Rises say they initially thought his entrance was part of the film…and, the U.S. Department of Defense says three members of the Armed Forces were wounded in this morning’s movie theater shooting in Aurora and one is unaccounted for.

News

September 14, 2019 | NPR · An effort to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee sparked the white nationalist rally in 2017 that resulted in the deaths of counter-demonstrator Heather Heyer and two state police officers.

September 14, 2019 | NPR · The attacks on oil facilities by the Iran-backed Yemeni rebels sent large plumes of smoke into the air, the trails visible from space, and impacted an estimated production of 5 million barrels a day.

September 14, 2019 | NPR · Mhairi McFarlane’s latest follows the unfortunate, aimless Georgina as she deals with her father’s death, a bad boyfriend and a worse job — until her first love unexpectedly walks back into her life.

Music

September 14, 2019 | NPR · Before settling in Harlem, Mary Lou Williams traveled the country playing with big bands. The road shaped her sound, and her theory of black music as “the greatest and only true art in the world.”